Emergency teams in Afghanistan are racing to rescue people from the rubble left by a powerful earthquake that struck the west of the country, the BBC reports.
More than 1,000 people are feared dead after the 6.3-magnitude quake hit villages in Herat Province on Saturday.
With communications down and many roads blocked, rescue workers are struggling to reach remote areas.
Hundreds have also been injured. The UN and other organisations have begun to rush in emergency supplies.
The earthquake struck about 40km (25 miles) north-west of the city of Herat at around 11:00 local time (06:30 GMT) on Saturday.
The worst-affected communities consist of mud structures. “In the very first shake all the houses collapsed,” Herat resident Bashir Ahmad, whose family lives in one of the villages, told AFP news agency.
“Those who were inside the houses were buried,” he added. “There are families we have heard no news from.”
